The Statute of the Orthodox Church in America

Preamble

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Orthodox Church in America was originally founded as a mission and later became a diocese in the Orthodox Church of Russia, uniting in its fold Orthodox Christians of various national backgrounds and traditions. It subsequently developed into a self-governing Metropolitanate, the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church of America. Confirmation as an Autocephalous Church was accomplished by the action of the Patriarch and Holy Synod of Russia on April 10, 1970. The Orthodox Church in America was proclaimed an Autocephalous Church on October 20, 1970, at the sessions of the All-American Council held at St Tikhon's Monastery in South Canaan, Pennsylvania.

The Orthodox Church in America

The Mission of The Orthodox Church in America, the local autocephalous Orthodox Christian Church, is to be faithful in fulfilling the commandment of Christ to “Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”